- Global air travel was up 4.6% in January compared to a year ago, weaker than the 5.9% expansion in 2014;
- There was a contraction in volumes of 0.2% in January compared to December, but this is within normally volatility in RPKs;
- International RPKs were up 5.4% in January year-on-year, but the growth rate is below its long-run average (6.3%);
- Moreover, the level of traffic has broadly tracked sideways since August (except for a spike in volumes in December);
- Some airlines continue to see strong growth – Middle East and Latin America were up 11.4% and 5.6%;
- During the later months of 2014, domestic markets were the main driver of industry growth;
- In January, domestic travel was a drag on the global result, partly due to the timing of the Lunar New Year;
- The slower start to 2015 does not necessarily imply the beginning of weakness in the otherwise robust growth trend;
- It is important to note, however, that concerns have been rising about the health of the global economy;
- Business confidence has been weakening since mid-2014, which could continue to limit international air travel volumes.
Source: iata.org
Photo: eGuide Travel/ flickr.com
